Similar items over time

Bronze One Penny Token, minted by Heaton & Sons, Birmignham. Issued by J.R. Grundy, Tobacco Merchant, Ballarat, 1861. John R. Grundy, arrived in Melbourne in January 1855. He opened a tobacconist's shop in 1856, in Ballarat, and was the principal tobacconist in the town. Gardner states that Grundy lost his shop in 1872 after speculating heavily. Afterwards he made his living by selling 'colonial cigars' in Melbourne and died in straightened circumstances in the early 1900s.

Previous Collections: George McArthur

Description:

A round copper token (34 mm diameter). The token features the name address and business of the issuer: J.R. Grundy Ballarat Merchant together with a cutting from a tobacco plant The reverse features a female figure representing Justice standing facing left. She wears a blindfold and extends a balanced set of scales with her right hand. With her left she holds an inverted cornucopia from which fruits flow onto the ground. She wears an ancient-style of flowing dress bound at the waist, her left arm is draped to near the elbow while drapery falls from her extended arm to below the horizon line behind. A three-masted sailing ship on horizon at left of token.

Female figure representing Justice standing facing left. She wears a blindfold and extends a balanced set of scales with her right hand. With her left she holds an inverted cornucopia from which fruits flow onto the ground. She wears an ancient-style of flowing dress bound at the waist, her left arm is draped to near the elbow while drapery falls from her extended arm to below the horizon line behind. A three-masted sailing ship on horizon at left of token. Around on wide raised border, INDUSTRIA ET FIDES OMNIA VINCET . VICTORIA .

Grundy issued two quite different token designs dated 1861. The first (see NU 3764) depicted a tobacco plant growing from grassy ground combined with a Coat of Arms while the second (this token) depicted a cut stalk of flowering tobacco and a standing figure representing Justice.

This issue employed two slightly different obverse dies which can be differentiated by the shape of the first bud on the right side of the stalk and the position of the growth of the first flower bud in relation to the central veins of the large leaf on the right. Obverse B has the first bud opening at right angles and the flower emerging entirely below the central vein. Obverse C has the first bud still largely closed and the flower emerging above the central vein.

In addtion there were two reverse dies - Reverse 3 on which all letter A's are A with cross bar, and Reverse 4 where all letter A's are in fact an inverted V with no cross bar.

This token was struck with die combination B/3.

Andrews 158 and Heyde 88/2 record the die combination C/3 but the Museum variety of this was C/4 - does C/3 occur?

Bibliography:

[Thesis] Lugton, Mary E. 1989. George McArthur of Maldon: his Life and his Book Collection.

[Article] Sharples, John P. 1993. A Catalogue of the Trade Tokens of Victoria 1848 to 1862. Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia. vol.7: p.1-77., V. 3

Comments

John McKerrowPosted on 11 Aug 2010 6:17 PM

Hello, I have an 1861 J.R Grundy coin with the tobacco plant on one side and what appears to be a bell tower shaped figure on the reverse. I can't find any info in relation to this particular coin....any ideas?

Discovery CentrePosted on 13 Aug 2010 10:40 AM

Hi John. There appear to be only two types of tokens struck and we cannot find any information regarding the specific item you describe. We would recommend taking the item to a medal and coin specialist for appraisal. Click here for further information on the use of these tokens.

Add your comment

Museum Victoria does not provide valuations, for more information please visit the valuation infosheet

Please note that Museum Victoria staff will not normally respond to comments posted on our website.